White Collar Payback S02E14 (USA)

The pilot episode of White Collar was most definitely slick and smart, as well as charming, as Matt Bormer will charm the pants off anyone he meets as his suave alter ego Neal Caffrey.

This show most definitely fits in the USA Network’s slew of shows, which include Burn Notice and Royal Pains. It has good pacing and interesting chemistry between Matt Bormer and Tim DeKay, something that isn’t easy to fake. They work well on the screen, there is no denying this.

Basically, Dekay’s Burke is a white collar specialist who put Bormer’s Caffrey away a few years ago. In order to reduce his sentence a bit further, after having escaped a super max jail, Caffrey offers to help Burke to catch the illusive Dutchman, a criminal that Burke has also been chasing for a few years. This setup kind of reminds me of Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can as well as The Sting with Redford and Newman.

What’s also interesting, is that the guys don’t just keep this professional. They also involve their personal lives. Burke needs help to make his hot wife Elizabeth, played by Tiffani Thiessen, happy while Caffrey is searching for his wife that just vanished. All in all, a great show with good actors. I recommend it.

Warning:spoilers ahead

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Matthew Keller was convicted for 20 years. Keller said that he had info with national security implications. He will speak only to Caffrey and Burke. Keller wants to stay in his prison.

He talks about his stopgap measure, a pis allez of sorts. He’s got info on perfect fake passports. Jason Lang makes them. Terrorists could buy these. Lang and Keller were partners. There was something to do with bonds. The partnership dissolved. Burke had a tiff with Elle. Neal tells him to call her to make things up.

They go see Lang. His studio is very large and filled with hot models. He’s got the equipment to make fake passports and does a runner. When Peter goes out the door, a guy with a submachine gun takes his gun. They abduct him. Keller is pulling the strings.

Neal goes to see Keller. He wants $2.5 million to pay off his debt to the Russians. After he talks with him, Neal calls Diana. The FBI is made aware of Peter’s abduction. Elle comes to the office. She tells Neal to do whatever it takes to get him back.

Neal retrieves the ring that he was going to use to propose to Kate. It’s a McNally solitaire. It’s worth at least $2 to $2.5 mil.

Peter learns that Lang is going to use what Neal gives him to buy off the security firm that does the prison transfers. Keller will escape. They don’t plan on letting Peter go.

Neal meets with Lang and demands proof of life. Peter uses the opportunity to send Neal a message. “No transfer”. They know they have to stop the Keller prison transfer. It’s too late. Keller has already gotten out of his bonds. The bus went down an alley and Keller gets away.

Peter provokes Lang and gets out of his cuffs. He knocked him out. He gets his phone. He calls the office. He needs to talk with Neal to find a way out of the cell. Neal manages to get a way out and has a gun on Lang. Keller never showed.